Biometric sensor comprising oxide semiconductor, biometric sensor on display, and methods of making and using the same

Abstract

A sensor, a device, a system, and a method, for biometric sensing, are provided. Such a device or system includes a micro heater and a micro temperature sensor for at least active thermal sensing, which may comprise an oxide semiconductor material. The micro heater and the micro temperature sensor may be separate or combined in one pixel. The present disclosure also provides an out-cell type or an in-cell type of biometric sensor on display device, for example, an out-cell type or an in-cell type fingerprint sensor on display (FoD) device. The pixels for active thermal sensing include an oxide semiconductor material. The methods of making and the methods of using the sensors, the devices, or the system are also provided.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A sensor for biometric sensing, comprising:
 a pixel matrix having a plurality of pixels, the plurality of pixels configured to measure a biometric pattern;   a micro temperature sensor and a micro heater in each pixel, the micro temperature sensor comprising an oxide semiconductor material as the only semiconductor material therein,   wherein the plurality of pixels comprise thermal sensing pixels configured to operate based on at least an active thermal sensing principle, in which a low power heat pulse is applied and a response corresponding to a biometric pattern is measured.   
     
     
         2 . The sensor of  claim 1 , wherein the micro heater comprises the oxide semiconductor material or an electrically conductive material. 
     
     
         3 . The sensor of  claim 2 , wherein the electrically conductive material is selected from the group consisting of a metal, a transparent conductive oxide (TCO), and a combination thereof. 
     
     
         4 . The sensor of  claim 1 , wherein the oxide semiconductor material comprises indium gallium zinc oxide (IGZO), a modified IGZO, or ZnO. 
     
     
         5 . The sensor of  claim 4 , wherein the modified IGZO comprises an element selected from the group consisting of Al, Sn, Ti, Ta, Zr, Co, Ni, Hf, Si, F, Ge, Y, La, and any combination thereof, which may partially or completely replace existing cations in IGZO, or serve as additional cations. 
     
     
         6 . The sensor of  claim 4 , wherein the IGZO or a modified IGZO is amorphous or crystalline. 
     
     
         7 . The sensor of  claim 1 , wherein the oxide semiconductor material has a temperature coefficient in a range of from −2 mV/° C. to −200 mV/° C. when used in diodes or thin film transistors, or from −0.5%/K to −20%/K when used in thermistors. 
     
     
         8 . The sensor of  claim 1 , wherein the oxide semiconductor material has a sheet resistance in a range of from 5 KΩ/sq to 10 GΩ/sq when used in diodes or thin film transistors, or from 5 KΩ/sq to 3 MΩ/sq when used in thermistors. 
     
     
         9 . The sensor of  claim 1 , wherein each of the micro temperature sensor and the micro heater is a thin film transistor (TFT), a diode, or a thermistor. 
     
     
         10 . The sensor of  claim 1 , wherein the micro temperature sensor and the micro heater are combined into one device in each pixel. 
     
     
         11 . The sensor of  claim 1 , wherein the micro temperature sensor and the micro heater are separate in each pixel, and the micro heater is a portion of a plurality of micro heater lines. 
     
     
         12 . The sensor of  claim 1 , further comprising capacitive touch sensing elements. 
     
     
         13 . The sensor of  claim 12 , wherein the capacitive touch sensing elements are self-capacitive or mutual capacitive, and active matrix or passive matrix. 
     
     
         14 . The sensor of  claim 12 , wherein the capacitive touch sensing elements are passive matrix mutual capacitive touch sensors or active matrix self-capacitive touch sensors. 
     
     
         15 . The sensor of  claim 14 , wherein the capacitive touch sensing elements are active matrix self-capacitive touch sensors used in combination with active thermal sensing to enhance anti-spoofing performance. 
     
     
         16 . The sensor of  claim 1 , wherein the thermal sensing pixels comprise pixels for passive thermal sensing in combination with active thermal sensing to enhance anti-spoofing performance. 
     
     
         17 . A device or system comprising the sensor of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         18 . A method of making the sensor of  claim 1 , comprising forming the pixel matrix having a plurality of pixels with the micro temperature sensor and the micro heater in each pixel. 
     
     
         19 . A method of using the sensor of  claim 1 , comprising a step of measuring or capturing an image of a biometric pattern of a subject. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the biometric pattern is a fingerprint or a pattern from a hand palm.